


Dancing Through Time

by toomanyunfinishedfics



Series: New Game+ [4]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: Also there's a vague allusion to P3D, And character bonding moments, AnnShiho is mentioned briefly but I won't include it in the relationship tags to avoid clutter, Can you believe the dancing games came out over a year ago, Dancing, Everyone's probably already forgotten about them by now lmao, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Gen, If you haven't played both P5D and P3D lmao;;, Just pure unadulterated fluff and dancing, M/M, New Game Plus, Seriously that's all this fic is, So I guess it counts as, Somehow forgot to tag NG+ on a fic in my NG+ series lmao, Spoilers, Yet here I am with a NG+ spinoff, and a vague allusion to P3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-22 13:21:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22716706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toomanyunfinishedfics/pseuds/toomanyunfinishedfics
Summary: Akira didn’t expect to find himself back in the Velvet Room two months after breaking out of the time loop, nor did he expect to find his friends there with him--but even if Lavenza’s request for them is a bit odd, it couldn’t hurt to let themselves enjoy the moment and have some fun while searching for the “Treasure” hidden on stage.
Relationships: Amamiya Ren/Sakamoto Ryuji, Kitagawa Yusuke/Sakura Futaba, Kurusu Akira & Lavenza, Kurusu Akira & Phantom Thieves of Hearts, Kurusu Akira & Sakamoto Ryuji & Sakura Futaba, Kurusu Akira/Sakamoto Ryuji, Niijima Makoto/Okumura Haru, Persona 5 Protagonist/Sakamoto Ryuji, Takamaki Ann & Lavenza
Series: New Game+ [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1088169
Comments: 22
Kudos: 153





	Dancing Through Time

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Valentine's Day!!
> 
> I already posted a Valentine's Day one shot a few months ago in Moments In Time, so I figured instead of trying to come up with something else to write, I should probably get around to posting this fic that I've had written and sitting on my computer literally since the Dancing games came out in the west lmao;;; I couldn't post it right away since this fic takes place after Time Marches Forward and has spoilers for the ending (so if you haven't finished/read it yet, please do so before starting this fic!), which just goes to show how long I've been planning the end of that fic for since I was barely even halfway through TMF when I wrote this asldfj
> 
> Part of me considered just putting this in with MiT, but I feel like it works better as a separate one-shot since it's based off of a spinoff game--plus, I already came up with the title for this fic before MiT was even a thought in my head, and I didn't want the title to go to waste lmao;; Also, for the sake of timeline clarity, this fic takes place at the end of 05/2017, about two weeks after the end of the last chapter of TMF!
> 
> ~~And just for the record, I know absolutely nothing about dancing or even how to describe dancing, so I apologize in advance for all the not so great descriptions, and I'm sorry if I somehow managed to get anything wrong even with keeping things as vague as possible lmao;;~~
> 
> Enjoy! ^^

Of all the things Akira expected to see when he opened his eyes, the blue walls of the Velvet Room were considerably low on his list--it had been almost half a year since the Metaverse had disappeared, and about two months since he’d finally escaped the time loop, and in that entire span of time he hadn’t once heard anything from Igor or Lavenza.

So to suddenly find himself here, did that mean--

“Akira, it’s okay, calm down.”

Akira wasn’t even aware of anyone else in the room with him until he felt Ryuji’s hands on his shoulders and saw him crouching down in front of him, and it was then that he took a quick look around, taking in the sight of all of his friends in various states of confusion and disorientation nearby.

“Ryuji, what’s…?”

“No clue,” Ryuji replied with a sheepish shrug. “We all just woke up in this place. Mona’s back to his Metaverse form, too; it’s really weird.”

Akira paled at the mention of Morgana’s Metaverse form, taking a proper look at his group of friends and finding that the cat in question was indeed in his Metaverse form, nearly blocked from sight as he stood next to Ann and spoke with her and Futaba.

“It’s-- are we--”

In lieu of an answer, Ryuji lifted Akira’s hand up to eye-level, showing him their matching rings with a smile.

“This enough of an answer?”

“Oh thank god.” Akira pulled Ryuji’s hand close and pressed a kiss to the ring before resting his forehead against the back of Ryuji’s hand, the tension immediately draining from his frame at the physical reminder that he hadn’t been forced back in time yet again.

Ryuji ignored the light heat in his cheeks from the gesture as he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to the top of Akira’s head.

“You good?”

“Yeah… yeah, I’m good,” Akira replied, letting out a quiet breath before finally moving to rise to his feet along with Ryuji.

Everyone’s attention shifted over to the couple, and Akira faltered at the sight of their gazes, all silently asking for explanations that Akira _normally_ would have been able to give them.

But now? Like everything else, Akira had absolutely no clue what was going to happen, and _god_ did he hate the feeling.

“I’m glad you’re awake,” Makoto began, her smile soft but not quite disarming enough to soften the blow as she asked, “We were hoping you would have an idea of what’s going on here.”

“Well… I can at least tell you where we are--or rather, where I _think_ we are,” he added as he took a proper look around. “If this is where I think it is, then this place went through some _major_ renovations since I was last here.”

“So, where do you think this is?” Ann prompted. “And why exactly were you at a place like this, anyway? Kinda looks like a club, and I don’t remember you ever mentioning coming to this kind of place before.”

“Because I _haven’t_ come to a place like this, that’s why I’m a bit confused… the Velvet Room didn’t look like this the last time I was here.”

“The Velvet Room?” Morgana questioned, his tone as bewildered as Ryuji's expression as the two of them--the only two to have actually seen the Velvet Room in person--took another look around. “It never looked like this, as far as I can remember.”

Akira nodded in agreement. “There has to be some sort of reason, both for why we’re here and why its appearance changed….”

“I believe I can answer that.”

The group turned at the sudden addition of another voice, and while everyone else tensed warily, Akira, Ryuji, and Morgana were the only ones to relax in recognition.

“Lavenza,” Akira greeted warmly, feeling almost overwhelmingly relieved to see his true attendant--though he had nothing against the twins, the fact that Lavenza was in front of him and not them was yet another bit of proof that he hadn’t been forced back in time yet again.

“My Trickster,” she greeted in return, giving him a smile and a curtsy before turning her attention to the rest of her guests. “It’s a pleasure to meet those of you who I have yet to encounter in this timeline, and it is a pleasure to see you two once more, Morgana and Ryuji-san. I apologize for bringing you all here on such short notice, but I can assure you, the matter that I wish to discuss with you all is nothing dangerous by any means--it is merely a request that I hoped to ask of you.”

“A request? What kinda request are we talking about here?” Ryuji asked curiously, as the tension began to drain from the rest of the group.

“Dancing,” Lavenza replied simply, stifling a soft giggle behind her hand at the group’s surprised outbursts. “Simply put, this is a ball--and it will be your job to steal the hearts of all those watching you dance, so to speak. I trust that you all can handle this request?”

“Well, I can’t say I’m _opposed_ , though this does seem a bit sudden,” Akira replied, his expression a cross between perplexed and amused.

“Why _dancing_ , though?” Morgana asked. “And why us?”

“Everything will be clear in due time,” Lavenza replied with a smile, laughing softly as Morgana groaned at the evasive answer.

“I personally see no use in arguing,” Yusuke began, “though I must warn you, I am quite the amateur.”

Makoto sighed. “You’re accepting this way too easily….”

“There’s no need to worry.” Lavenza gave Yusuke a reassuring smile. “This place exists in the realm of dreams: all you must do is visualize yourself dancing in your mind, and your body will move accordingly.”

“What the heck? That sounds like a cheat code or something!” Futaba exclaimed. “There’s no way it’s that easy!”

“But, if it really _is_ a dream, then…,” Makoto trailed off hesitantly, before letting out a sigh. “It’s a bit hard to believe, but I suppose after all that we’ve been through….”

Morgana nodded. “In that case, then let’s just treat this request like any other request for the Phantom Thieves.”

“Sounds good to me,” Ann added with a smile. “It sounds like fun, honestly. Besides, if she’s someone important to Akira, then that’s all the more reason to help her out, right?”

Akira’s expression softened in gratitude as the team voiced their agreement, and once they all reached a consensus, he turned to face Lavenza once more.

“Alright,” he began, his smile widening into a grin. “It’s showtime!”

* * *

After explaining the layout of “Club Velvet” (Akira couldn’t help but be just as amused by the change in name as he was by the change in decor) and showing the group where they would be performing and where they could get some practice in, Lavenza was kind enough to get them all set up in their own VIP rooms--which were really just simulations of their bedrooms created using their cognitions, though no one in the group was complaining about having their own private space to rest in after working up a sweat--before leaving them to their own devices, trusting that Akira would take charge of determining who would be taking the stage and when.

Honestly, it was both thrilling and nerve-wracking to find himself back in a position of leadership, though he took comfort in the reminder that there was literally nothing dangerous or life-threatening about the choices that he was making here. In fact, after getting a taste of dancing for an audience and hearing their cheers, his teammates were all more than eager to retake the stage any chance they got, so the only potentially-health-threatening thing Akira had to worry about was making sure everyone was taking proper breaks and staying hydrated.

That was a hell of a lot better than making decisions like who would join him on the front lines to fight Shadows that could kill them if they weren’t careful.

As for taking the stage himself, Akira found himself having more fun cutting loose and letting his body move without overthinking everything than he expected--though he tried to limit how often he took center stage in favor of supporting his friends at the high points of their dances, adapting himself to each of their individual styles to further help them stand out and excite the faceless crowds.

It was also fun to stand back and watch his teammates dancing with one another: some of their styles worked better together than others, but ultimately it was clear that they were all having fun getting to share the stage with one another.

“Enjoying yourself, my Trickster?”

Akira smiled, briefly glancing over at Lavenza as she approached him before turning his gaze back to Ryuji and Futaba messing around on the practice stage as he nodded. “I’m not sure if you had an actual reason for bringing us here like this, but… thank you. After everything we’ve been through, it’s nice to just have some fun together without any danger looming over us.”

“I am glad to hear that.”

The two of them stood in comfortable silence for a moment, watching as Ryuji coached Futaba and laughing softly as Futaba made a comment before grinning and bolting while Ryuji chased her around the stage in mock-anger in response.

“The actual reason for bringing you all here,” Lavenza began, breaking the silence between the two of them and prompting Akira to look over at her, “was because my sister was insisting that her honored guest was the most remarkable. I simply couldn’t allow such a statement to go unchallenged.”

“I’m flattered.” Akira smiled, trying not to laugh as he saw Lavenza’s pout and her light blush. “No, really, I am--but why dancing?”

“My sister is… a bit of a black sheep, let’s say.” Lavenza frowned. “Our eldest sister’s honored guest had solved a certain incident through the power of dance some time ago--and when my black sheep of a sister saw that, well… she insisted on proving that her honored guest would have been able to do a much better job of resolving the situation.”

“And that’s when you challenged her?” Akira finished, unable to keep the amusement off of his expression. “I see…. So will we be meeting your sister’s guest?”

“Hold up,” Ryuji interrupted, pulling Akira and Lavenza from their conversation as he and Futaba approached, both of them looking equally exhausted yet energetic enough to join in on the conversation. “So there’s other people here? I haven’t seen no one but us.”

“Yeah… I picked up faint traces of other people, but I haven’t actually _seen_ anyone,” Futaba added with a frown after catching her breath.

“Well,” Lavenza began hesitantly, “it’s a bit difficult to explain--they are here, yet they aren’t.”

Akira nodded in understanding, prompting a bewildered look from Ryuji.

“Dude, don’t tell me you seriously get what she’s trying to say.”

Akira shrugged. “From my understanding, the Velvet Room exists outside of time and space. I’m guessing her sister’s guest and their friends are probably here in a different time, which would be why we can’t meet with any of them even if Futaba’s scan is picking them up.”

Lavenza beamed proudly, clapping her hands together. “Just what I would expect from my Trickster!”

Ryuji ran a hand through his hair. “Seriously? _More_ crazy time-shit? Like the time loops weren’t enough to wrap my head around….”

Futaba’s expression lit up with the look of someone eagerly accepting a difficult challenge, and she bolted off towards her room without another word.

“Aaaand we’ve lost Futaba.” Ryuji watched her go in a mixture of confusion and amusement before turning his attention back over to Akira and Lavenza, who wore similar expressions on their faces upon seeing Futaba’s abrupt retreat. “Okay, so if I’m understanding this right, we’re competing against some other group--but is there, like… a prize, or something? Y’know, since it’s a competition?”

“A prize…,” Lavenza murmured. “There may very well be one, as a matter of fact.”

“Wait, for real?” Ryuji perked up with a grin. “So what is it?”

“Nothing tangible, I’d assume,” Akira added, laughing softly as Ryuji visibly deflated. “Ryuji, this is a _dream_ , remember? I highly doubt anything that we get here will carry over into the real world once we wake up.”

“Oh….” Ryuji rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. “Kinda forgot about that part.”

“While that _is_ true, I have heard that my eldest sister’s guest obtained a special Treasure on stage,” Lavenza mused aloud. “I don’t know much about it myself, but it seems worth searching for.”

“I mean, we’ve gotta try and win this dance-off anyway, right?” Ryuji replied with a grin and a shrug. “Might as well find and take the Treasure while we’re at it--after all, stealing Treasures _is_ kinda our thing.”

“My thoughts exactly,” Lavenza agreed with a smile.

Ryuji turned his attention over to Akira, grinning as he took his hand. “The rest of the team’s gonna want to know about this whole Treasure thing too; c’mon, let’s go grab everyone and tell ‘em about it.”

Akira nodded, hardly having the chance to say goodbye to Lavenza before laughing as Ryuji eagerly pulled him along.

* * *

Watching Akira dance, Ryuji decided, was impossible to grow bored of.

Of course, Ryuji enjoyed watching all of his friends dance--they all looked amazing on stage, and each of them captivated the audience in their own way--but Akira was just _breathtaking_.

(And no, that wasn’t just Ryuji’s lovestruck brain talking… mostly.)

Ryuji suspected that Akira had picked up dancing at some point in the hundred years he’d been stuck in Tokyo for (god knows he’d done everything _else_ that he possibly could out of sheer boredom, not that Ryuji could blame him), because there was no way that he could be this good at dancing otherwise, dream-enhanced dancing abilities or not--everyone else in their group still had to practice, both individually and together, yet Akira only ever seemed to be watching everyone else or joining in for fun without needing to put much effort in.

It wasn’t even just watching Akira dance by himself that left Ryuji awed, either: his dances with everyone were always so well-coordinated, and somehow managed to reflect his relationship with each of the Phantom Thieves through even just a few seconds of shared stage time.

Akira’s dances with Ann always felt fun and relaxed, like the two of them were just having a good time without thinking much about their audience, and that natural charm and positive energy always left the crowd--and the rest of the Phantom Thieves--feeling even more excited than before.

Dancing with Morgana was a bit more difficult than dancing with their human teammates--cats weren’t exactly meant to dance, after all--yet Akira somehow made it seem just as smooth and coordinated as any of the other dances he performed with everyone else, supporting Morgana without stealing the spotlight from him (or fighting him for the spotlight, as Ryuji and Morgana tended to do with one another--old habits die hard, he supposed, though at least there wasn’t any real malice behind their banter).

Akira and Yusuke were surprisingly in sync considering how the eccentric artist’s dancing typically involved him doing his own thing, though Ryuji supposed that if anyone could match Yusuke’s unique, over-the-top style--dramatic pose for dramatic pose, exaggerated motion for exaggerated motion--of course it would be someone as Extra as Akira.

Makoto’s dancing was about as stiff as one might expect from a student council president who based her dancing style around fighting techniques, yet dancing with Akira seemed to soften her movements just the slightest bit--or maybe it was Akira making his own movements just the slightest bit more rigid, helping to make their dancing blend together more easily.

Akira and Futaba… well, simply put, Akira was a proud older brother and it clearly showed: Akira went above and beyond supporting her, gently easing her back into the spotlight whenever she began unconsciously shying away and offering her a hand--figuratively and sometimes literally--to get her through the high points of her dance and to leave her feeling confident and content to finish the routine on her own.

Watching Akira support Haru felt like watching an actual ballet--and when the hell Akira picked up ballet moves was beyond Ryuji, but there was no way Akira didn’t know what he was doing, not when he knew exactly how to position himself to help Haru balance for those fancy, crazy stretching movements that she would pull off (movements that Ryuji had no idea how to support beyond awed gawking and “ _is everyone seeing this because holy shit how does someone bend that far without falling over_ ” gestures, though Haru assured him that that was more than enough support for her).

And Akira dancing with Ryuji was… well, it was crazy, and fun, and exhilarating, and a bit embarrassing (the first time Akira blew him a kiss as he made his way off-stage, Ryuji nearly tripped over his own feet and screwed up the rest of his routine, much to Akira’s amusement), and it just felt so much like _them_ that it was impossible not to love every second of it. They could do _anything_ on stage--pull off any kind of insane move that they wanted, change things up on impulse, and it was just so easy to follow along with how well they could read each other.

Then there was Lavenza.

Ryuji honestly didn’t know much about her, though he could tell from Akira’s expression and his tone whenever the two of them spoke with one another that he felt a fond affection towards her, something different than what he felt for the rest of the Phantom Thieves. Lavenza, in turn, seemed to think the world of Akira, which was reflected clearly in her expression as Ryuji watched Akira offer her his hand to escort her onto the practice stage, the two of them dancing with one another for no one’s eyes but their own and Ryuji’s--who briefly wondered if he was intruding before he caught sight of the reassuring smile that Akira sent his way.

“What’s up with you and her, anyway?” Ryuji couldn’t help but ask later on, as they made their way into his room to relax.

(Had it been a year ago, when Ryuji was still just getting used to the idea of being with Akira, jealousy might have tinged his tone and his expression--but now, with his engagement ring sitting comfortably on his finger, his question was filled with only genuine curiosity.)

“It’s… hard to explain.” Akira had a sheepish look on his face as he took a seat on Ryuji’s bed, though his expression quickly softened into a smile as Ryuji sat down next to him with no space between them. “From what I’ve learned from talking to Lavenza and Igor over the years, everyone who has this power--this ‘Wildcard’ ability that I have… or _had_ , rather--is welcomed as a guest in the Velvet Room, and is assisted by a resident here, to help them develop their power to its fullest potential.”

“Like your own personal trainer or something?” Ryuji asked.

Akira shrugged. “Yes and no? That’s a simple way of putting it, and you’re not exactly _wrong_ , but it’s still a bit more… I feel like intimate might have the wrong connotations, but it’s the only way I can think to describe it. Lavenza knows me better than anyone; she’s seen every part of me, helped shape me and guide me through the very first year even while she was going through her own struggles against Yaldabaoth… and every time I made it far enough into the year to free the Velvet Room and Lavenza from Yaldabaoth’s control, she always regained her memories along with her true form.”

Akira could tell that Ryuji was a bit lost, but Ryuji made no move to interrupt him, allowing him to speak his peace--and Akira expressed his gratitude in the form of leaning against Ryuji’s side and taking his hand in his own, absentmindedly running his thumb over the ring on Ryuji’s finger as he continued to speak.

“She was the only reason I knew I wasn’t going crazy, especially in the earlier loops when I was still trying to get my bearings and understand what was happening--and every time I finally got to meet with her true form again, it was like… coming home, I guess. No one else understood what I was going through like she did.” Akira smiled weakly. “But the more times I repeated the year, the harder it became to even make it far enough into the year to save her. This past loop was the first time I’d seen her in at least a decade, I think. Maybe it was even more; I’m not even sure anymore.” He let out a soft, humorless laugh as he dropped his gaze. “It’s a wonder how she doesn’t resent me for not trying harder.”

“Hey, c’mon.” Ryuji gave Akira’s hand a light squeeze. “You said it yourself, right? She knows you better than anyone, and she understands everything you were going through--so there’s no way she’d hold anything against you. I’m sure she’s just as proud of you for finally making it through that year as I am.”

Akira hadn’t realized how tense he’d become until he found himself relaxing as he leaned further against Ryuji’s side with a quiet sigh and a small smile. “Thank you. I’d like to hope so.”

Ryuji shifted to face Akira, pulling him into a quick kiss before pulling back with a grin.

“Alright, enough serious talk. We’re here to have fun, right? So let’s relax for a bit, play some video games, and then we can go hit the practice floor and see who else is there.”

Akira returned Ryuji’s grin with a warm, grateful smile of his own.

“Sounds like a plan.”

* * *

Ann entered the lounge area as Akira and Ryuji left, smiling as she saw Lavenza practicing on stage by herself.

Not wanting to interrupt Lavenza's routine, Ann took a seat nearby, watching through to the end and clapping for her once she finished.

“Oh!” Lavenza turned to face the source of the clapping in surprise, a light blush heating up her face. “Forgive me, I did not realize anyone was watching.”

“It's okay, I didn't want to interrupt.” Ann rose to her feet and approached the stage with a smile. “You're really good, though! I'm impressed.”

“Thank you very much.” Lavenza smiled. “However, I apologize for taking the stage if you wished to practice. I can leave you to practice on your own.”

“You don’t have to leave, it’s fine! Practicing in this big room all by myself is kinda lonely, to be honest.” Ann couldn’t help but sigh as she fell into thought, her steps slowing to a halt as her thoughts began to spill out without her even realizing. “Akira and Ryuji are glued at the hip, Makoto and Haru are spending time together, Yusuke was heading towards Futaba’s room… and I don’t mind hanging out with Mona, but I kinda wish Shiho could be here--I’m sure she’d have a blast getting to dance on stage, and it would’ve been so much fun dancing together with her….”

“My sincerest apologies. I know from my Trickster how important she is to you, but it was a difficult enough endeavor to just bring you all here, let alone to bring someone who does not possess a Persona.”

Ann looked startled, her face flushing lightly as she realized she’d been thinking aloud, and she quickly waved her hands. “No, no, I’m not blaming you! I know it’s not your fault.” She smiled sheepishly as she absentmindedly toyed with one of her pigtails. “Sorry, I was just… I guess I just miss her, is all--but I’m having a great time here with everyone, and I’m super grateful to even just be here getting to have fun for as long as we want.”

Lavenza hugged an arm across her chest as she lightly gripped her other arm, clearly still feeling guilty despite her small smile. “I am glad to hear that. In any case, I suppose I should vacate the stage for you--”

“Why don’t we dance together?” Apparently Ann’s abrupt suggestion caught Lavenza off-guard, and Ann couldn’t help but laugh lightly at the surprised expression on her face. “Dancing together’s way more fun than dancing alone, right?”

“I… suppose you are right,” Lavenza conceded with a smile, her posture slowly beginning to relax as her arms fell back to her sides. “Though I am only beginning to get a feel for dancing myself, and I have yet to attempt dancing with anyone other than my Trickster.” She curtsied and added, “I will be in your care.”

“Aww c’mon, you don’t have to act all formal!” Ann replied with a laugh as she walked onto the stage and took one of Lavenza’s hands in her own to pull her into an impromptu spin. “Let’s just start up some music and have a good time!”

Their routine was less of a choreographed dance and more of them just moving to the music, with Lavenza carefully following Ann’s lead until Ann got her to loosen up--and by the end the two were giggling together as Ann gave Lavenza one last twirl, the music fading away and leaving the room silent once more save for their laughter.

“That was… far more enjoyable than I expected it would be,” Lavenza admitted with a smile. “Thank you.”

Ann grinned. “You should totally join us on stage, too! I bet the audience would love you!”

Lavenza hummed in thought. “Well,” she began hesitantly, “my sister _has_ been talking about wanting to join the competition herself, so… I suppose if she joins, there would be no reason for me not to join as well.”

“Awesome!” With a glance down at Lavenza’s clothes, Ann added, “You know, I bet I have some clothes in my room that you could fit in, if you want to change your look up a bit for when you go on stage--a different outfit can totally change up the feel of your whole performance!”

“A different outfit?” Lavenza followed Ann’s gaze down to her clothes, plucking at her dress before glancing back up at Ann shyly. “I do not believe I have ever worn anything other than the outfit Master Igor gifted me with, but… I am admittedly curious to see the clothes that you have in mind for me to wear.”

“Great! I bet there’s a _ton_ of different styles I can do for your hair, too--oh, this is going to be so much fun!”

Ann tugged Lavenza off towards her room, absentmindedly waving to Makoto and Haru as they passed each other on the way out of the lounge, and Lavenza could only wonder what she was getting herself into as she let herself be dragged along.

 _My Trickster’s companions certainly have no shortage of optimism and energy._ Lavenza smiled, giggling to herself as she walked a bit faster to match Ann’s longer strides. _I can see why he has not grown bored of them, even after all this time._

* * *

“ _I DID IT!!_ ”

Ryuji yelped and nearly threw his controller when Futaba loudly burst into his room, and Akira wasn’t faring much better, a hand pressed over his heart as he was startled out of his relaxed position against Ryuji’s side.

“Did what, gave us both heart attacks?” Ryuji replied with the slightest tinge of irritation.

“Sorry, sorry.” Futaba plopped herself down next to Akira, sandwiching him between herself and Ryuji as she leaned forward in obvious excitement. “I just _had_ to come and tell you right away!”

Akira straightened up a bit, admittedly a bit curious now that his heart rate had settled. “What did you have to tell us?”

“Okay, so you know how you and Lavvy were talking about those other guests or whatever, and how they’re here but not here?” Futaba barely gave Akira the chance to nod before she continued, a smug grin spreading across her face as she adjusted her glasses. “Weeeeell, guess who managed to get in contact with them~”

“Woah, for real?” Ryuji leaned around Akira, his eyes wide with obvious awe. “How’d you do it?”

“Mwehehe~ Never underestimate the power of an expert like myself… is what I’d like to say, but it was almost disappointingly easy.” Futaba shrugged. “All I did was poke around the network on my computer, and I managed to get in touch with someone named ‘Lucia’ who was doing the same thing--and get this! I lied and said this place was messing with the date on my computer, and I asked what date their computer said. Guess what their response was!” Futaba didn’t even let either of them open their mouths to try and respond before she plowed on. “ _2009!_ And they said the date on their computer was perfectly fine! They’re seriously in this same exact place, but _eight years_ in the past!”

Akira’s brows furrowed in thought as he took in this information. “Did you say anything else to them?”

“If you’re asking whether or not I said we’re from the future, then no, I didn’t.” Futaba pouted as Akira smiled and gave her a pat on the head. “C’mon, give me some credit; I’m not Ryuji.”

“Hey! What’s that supposed to mean?!”

Futaba stuck her tongue out at Ryuji. “It _means_ you talk before you think most of the time, dummy. I, at least, have a bit more tact than that.”

“Yeah, all the tact of a bulldozer slamming through the door ‘n’ scaring us half to death,” Ryuji grumbled.

Futaba rolled her eyes. “I _said_ I was sorry; don’t be such a baby.”

“ _Anyway,_ ” Akira interrupted, defusing their bickering before it could escalate, “now that you’ve gotten in contact with this ‘Lucia’ person, why don’t you try and continue keeping in touch with them? See what you can find out from them about their team, so we can have a bit more of an idea who exactly we’re up against.”

Futaba grinned and straightened up with a salute. “Got it!”

Even after Futaba rose to her feet and bounded out of the room, Akira’s brows remained pinched, his gaze distant as he stared at the ground with a thoughtful frown on his face.

Ryuji watched Akira worriedly for a bit before tentatively trying to pull him from his thoughts, slipping his arm around Akira and giving him a light squeeze. “Everything alright?”

Akira blinked, caught off-guard by the question, before smiling sheepishly. “I’m fine, sorry. I was just thinking.”

“About what?”

Akira’s smile died down slightly, his expression turning pensive once more. “Lavenza mentioned once, when talking about her sister… about how her sister abandoned her duty as an attendant for her guest’s sake. For her to do something so drastic, I just can’t help but wonder if maybe something happened to them--or will happen to them, from their standpoint.”

“Oh… now that you mention it, there’s a chance we could know about what’ll happen to all of them and their futures ‘n’ stuff, huh?” Ryuji frowned. “Eight years ain’t _that_ long--if they were the same age as we are now, then that means they’re prolly… like what, in their twenties? Man, that’s weird to think about.”

Akira laughed softly. “And here I thought we were finally done with all these time-related shenanigans.”

Ryuji gave Akira a weak smile as he chuckled. “You and me both.”

Akira pushed himself up to his feet and offered Ryuji a hand. “Why don’t we head out to the lounge for a bit? Before we start thinking too hard about this and giving ourselves a headache.”

“Sounds good to me.”

Ryuji took Akira’s hand with a grin and rose to his feet, a light blush heating up his face as Akira lifted his hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it.

“Our dance floor awaits.”

Ryuji rolled his eyes in a poor attempt to cover up his embarrassment, but he couldn’t quite hide the fondness in his smile as he followed Akira out the door, their hands remaining clasped together.

* * *

Futaba rushed back into her room, so lost in her giddy excitement--Lucia had seemed like such an interesting person from the short time that they’d spoken, not to mention how getting to speak with someone from the _past_ in real-time was such a mind-blowing experience--that she didn’t even notice someone sitting on her bed as she plopped herself down in her computer chair, grabbed a bag of chips from her drawer, and started attempting to get in contact with Lucia once more.

It was only when she turned in her chair to grab some soda from her mini fridge that she noticed Yusuke, who was completely absorbed in his own work with a sketchbook in hand and his brows furrowed in concentration.

She yelped, nearly dropping her soda. “Inari?! When did _you_ get here?”

Yusuke blinked, finally looking up from his sketchbook, and he seemed just as lost as Futaba as he glanced around. “I needed a change of pace, and your room always seems to spur the most creative energy in me. I suppose I found myself drawn here without realizing.”

Futaba grabbed another bag of chips from her drawer and tossed them at Yusuke’s head, her face lightly flushed as she quickly turned back to face her computer. “You can’t just barge into a lady’s room without permission, stupid Inari! This is why people think you’re a perv.”

“My apologies.” Yusuke set the bag of chips aside, a frown tugging at the corners of his lips. “If you would like me to leave--”

“I didn’t--” Futaba paused, before groaning and leaning back in her chair. “I don’t remember putting _tsundere_ on my character sheet…,” she muttered to herself, shaking her head slightly before speaking at a normal volume. “Just promise you won’t go barging into anyone else’s room, and don’t touch any of my figures while you’re here.”

Yusuke settled back down on the edge of the bed with the slightest hint of a smile. “Ah, you mean like you didn’t touch my jester doll?”

“I-I told you I was sorry!” Futaba’s blush darkened as Yusuke chuckled. “Don’t tease me, Inari! I felt really bad about that!”

“I know, and I appreciate that you were willing to pay to replace it, even if this is all just a dream.”

Futaba sunk down in her seat, groaning in embarrassment. “I was going crazy trying to think of ways to get that much money… stop blowing all your money on stuff like that and start spending it on more important stuff, like food.”

Yusuke frowned. “I suppose…. I merely can’t resist the call of the muses, once something speaks to me.”

“Even if it costs you three hundred thousand yen?” Futaba asked wryly.

“You can’t put a price on inspiration.”

“ _Fine_ , then at least come by LeBlanc more often, or let Akira buy you some food--I lost count of how many times he asked me to set up a bank account for you so he could wire you money.” She rolled her eyes as she waved a hand flippantly and added, “Kept talking him out of it because I knew you’d just blow it all on more art stuff instead.”

Yusuke blinked, surprised by this new information, before nodding. “Well… I suppose if Akira is truly that worried, then I will attempt to eat more regularly.”

Futaba sunk down further in her chair as she muttered, “He’s not the only one that’s worried, stupid Inari.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Nothing!”

Ignoring the heat in her cheeks, Futaba pushed herself up in her seat and leaned forward towards her computer, the quiet scratching of pencil against paper signalling that Yusuke had returned his attention to his sketchbook.

(She wasn’t sure when the sound had become so familiar, nor was she sure when she realized how well it combined with the sound of her fingers clicking away at her keyboard and the quiet hum of her computers, but it was comforting enough that she didn’t even need to have music playing through her headphones, or to even have her headphones over her ears at all--strange, how just the addition of one small sound could change the whole feeling of the room.)

Futaba took a sip of her soda as she began to get to work, and soon Yusuke’s presence had faded into the back of her mind--comforting and familiar without being intrusive or distracting, allowing her to pour the entirety of her focus into the task at hand.

* * *

Makoto couldn’t help but smile wryly as she waved to Ann, watching as she dragged a simultaneously perplexed and amused Lavenza in the direction of her room, before turning her attention back over to Haru when she heard her softly laughing.

“I’m so glad to see everyone having so much fun.”

Makoto’s expression softened as she nodded. “Yeah… it’s been a bit of a rough year for everyone, so it’s nice to just relax and enjoy ourselves with nothing on the line.”

Haru took Makoto’s hand in her own, her smile widening as she saw the light flush in Makoto’s cheeks.

“Are you having fun too, Mako-chan?”

Makoto gave Haru’s hand a light squeeze. “Well, I still wouldn’t consider dancing my _preferred_ pastime, but… yes, I am having fun--more than I would’ve expected to have, honestly.”

“Good, I’m glad.”

With a smile still on her face, Haru led Makoto onto the practice stage, their hands still clasped together even as music began to play.

“You know,” Haru commented absently midway through their routine, balanced on the tips of her toes on one leg as she leaned forward and stretched her other leg out behind her, “when I first learned ballet as a little girl, I always dreamed of dancing on stage with my own prince.”

“Your own prince, huh.” Makoto helped Haru balance, one hand in Haru’s and the other resting lightly on Haru’s back like Akira showed her. “You certainly have the beauty and elegance of a princess.”

Haru giggled, her face flushing. “That’s sweet of you to say, Mako-chan. Thank you.” She allowed Makoto to guide her back up, following Makoto’s adorably hesitant lead into a pirouette before stopping to face her with a smile. “But now I’m starting to think that I may have had the wrong idea.”

Makoto paused as well, looking at Haru curiously. “What do you mean?”

“Well,” Haru leaned back in time with the music, her smile widening as Makoto’s hands came to support her back without a word as she slowly guided her leg into the air, “princes are very… cliche, aren’t they? If I had the choice, I think I would be happier to dance with my very own knight instead.”

Makoto blinked as Haru met her eyes with a gentle, affectionate expression, and it took an embarrassingly long time for the sentence to click in her mind--but once it did, her face flooded with color, and she very nearly dropped Haru by accident, her arms twitching as she forced down the reflex to straighten up in embarrassment.

“A… knight, huh….” Makoto mulled over the mental image--her own dancing style, sharp moves like a knight fighting, as Haru danced with all the grace of a princess alongside her--before smiling and shaking her head slightly. “You’re the strongest person I know, Haru. I don’t think you need a prince _or_ a knight.”

“Oh, certainly,” Haru straightened back up, smiling teasingly as she added, “but don’t think I never noticed all the times you moved to shield me in the Metaverse.”

Makoto blushed. “That’s-- I’ve done the same for everyone else too--”

“Mako-chan.”

Haru’s expression softened as she took Makoto’s hand in her own and gave it a light squeeze. “I’m so grateful to all of our friends for everything they’ve done, but you… you’ve always been someone special to me, Mako-chan. Getting to dance on stage with you, getting to revive my old passion and share it with you like this-- I don’t need a prince, not when I have you by my side supporting me.”

“Haru….”

Makoto could feel the heat flooding her face as she took in Haru’s sincere expression and heartfelt words, and all of her years of speaking in front of teachers and students alike seemed to fly completely out the window as she struggled to form a single coherent sentence, the words dying on her tongue any time she so much as attempted to reply.

She hadn’t even realized that she’d moved to hide her face in embarrassment until Haru was gently taking both of her hands in her own, pulling them away from her face as she met her eyes with a small, teasing smile.

“You’re so cute when you’re flustered, Mako-chan.”

“I’m not--”

The reflexive denial was abruptly cut off by lips against her own, and Makoto could only stare dumbly for a moment, frozen in place before her brain finally decided to start working once more, helping her piece together the situation:

Haru’s hands gently clasping her own.

Haru’s body leaning flush against her own.

Haru’s lips pressed against her own.

By the time Makoto realized she was being kissed, Haru was already pulling back with a soft giggle.

“The song is still playing, Mako-chan.” Haru let go of one of Makoto’s hands and entwined their fingers together with her other hand, stepping back enough to lead Makoto back into their dance.

Makoto followed her lead for a few steps, still dazed and hardly even aware of the smile on her face--and it was only when their eyes met that Makoto took a step forward, twirling Haru before moving her free hand to rest on the small of Haru’s back.

“Thank you, Haru. You’re special to me too.”

The kiss that Makoto pressed to Haru’s lips in return was quick, chaste, and hesitant--but it was enough to cause a bright smile to light up Haru’s face.

Makoto smiled in return, her heart feeling as light as her steps as she continued to move around the stage, her hand never once leaving Haru’s.

* * *

Akira smiled as he entered the lounge with Ryuji in time to see Makoto and Haru finishing their routine, the clear affection in their gazes making his own heart swell.

Unfortunately, as much as Akira loved his fiance, Ryuji still had his occasional moments when he couldn’t read the atmosphere--so before Akira could stop him, Ryuji was already waving to the couple on stage with a bright grin, unintentionally interrupting their moment.

“Hey! Looking good, you two!”

Makoto jumped and blushed heavily as she quickly let go of Haru's hand, while Haru remained slightly more composed, a light heat filling her cheeks as she laughed softly.

“Oh, are you two here to practice too?”

Akira shot Makoto an apologetic smile before looking at Haru and nodding. “I didn’t realize you two would be here, though--if you still wanted to use the stage for a bit longer, don’t let us rush you.”

“No, that’s okay.” Makoto, to her credit, managed to calmly meet both of their gazes despite her embarrassment. “We were just finishing up in here, so the stage is all yours.”

“Have fun you two!” Haru added with a smile as she and Makoto walked off-stage and past Akira and Ryuji.

(Thankfully Ryuji didn’t seem to notice that they were both heading towards Haru’s bedroom instead of going to their own rooms--either that, or he was belatedly showing a little bit of tact as he shifted his gaze away from the retreating girls and over to Akira instead.)

Akira made his way onto the stage alongside Ryuji, reluctantly letting go of his hand so they could stretch a bit, warming up their muscles after sitting around mindlessly playing video games for an indiscernible amount of time.

(It was such an odd feeling, being able to spend what felt like hours doing nothing while knowing that no time was passing in the real world--but as antsy as it made Akira to waste time doing nothing productive, it was admittedly also nice to relax without worrying about any things he had to do or people he had to meet up with.)

Dancing with Ryuji was always fun and upbeat, his song-choices always thrumming with energy even while they were just practicing or messing around, but after catching the tail-end of Makoto and Haru’s dance, Akira couldn’t help but change the setlist just this once.

Ryuji looked confused as a slow song began to play, realization only setting in when Akira slipped an arm around his back and took his hand in his own.

“Uh, dude?” Ryuji laughed nervously, his face flushing lightly. “No offense, but slow dancing isn’t-- well, it ain’t really my kinda thing, y’know?”

“Then just follow my lead.” Sensing Ryuji’s lingering embarrassment, Akira added, “No one’s watching, it’s okay.”

“Still gonna look stupid if someone comes in ‘n’ sees us,” Ryuji mumbled, dropping his gaze to watch his feet when he almost stepped on Akira’s foot by accident.

Akira chuckled. “Ryuji, I can assure you, you _never_ look stupid no matter what you’re doing.”

Ryuji snorted in clear disbelief, but decided to keep his mouth shut as he poured his focus into following Akira’s lead instead, his body gradually relaxing as he started picking up on the repetitive steps.

“See? You’ve got it,” Akira murmured, his lips near Ryuji’s ear, and he couldn’t help but smile in amusement as Ryuji flushed from the sensation. His smile widened teasingly as he added, “Just consider this practice for our first dance on our wedding night.”

“ _Dude,_ ” Ryuji choked out, his blush spreading to the tips of his ears as he hid his face in the crook of Akira’s neck--but despite his embarrassment, he couldn’t help the silly, lovestruck grin from spreading across his lips at the reminder that they were _engaged_ , they were going to get _married_ , they were going to spend the rest of their _lives_ together.

Akira’s expression softened as he nuzzled his cheek against the side of Ryuji’s head, closing his eyes in contentment as he let the music continue to guide his movements.

They continued to move in a comfortable silence for a bit longer before Akira began to speak, keeping his voice quiet in an unconscious attempt to maintain the peace and tranquility of the moment.

“I know I’ve said it more times than I can count, but… thank you, Ryuji.” Akira pulled Ryuji the slightest bit closer, and he felt Ryuji’s grip on the back of his shirt tighten in response. “If you hadn’t approached me that day, hadn’t pushed me to be honest with you, hadn’t accepted everything and unconditionally offered your help and support… I would still be trapped, suffering and repeating that year endlessly without any hope of escape.” He let out a shuddering sigh, tears stinging his eyes in contrast with the soft smile on his face. “You saved me in more ways than I can ever repay you for--physically, mentally, emotionally… I can only stand here, functioning and happy and finally moving towards my future, thanks to you. I swear I’ll spend the rest of my life doing everything in my power to make you feel like the most loved and treasured person in existence.”

Ryuji straightened up just enough to press his lips against Akira’s, resting his forehead against his fiance’s with a teary smile of his own as he laughed softly.

“Jeez, save something for the wedding vows, would'ja?”

Akira couldn’t help but laugh as well, sheer happiness bubbling up from hearing the word _wedding_ leave Ryuji’s lips--even now, with his ring a comfortable weight on his finger after weeks of wearing it, it was almost impossible to believe that he was actually going to get _married_ to the blond angel in his arms. It was a dream come true in the most literal sense, something he’d already accepted would never happen outside of his wildest fantasies--yet here Ryuji was, in his arms, a matching ring on his finger as he teased Akira about wedding vows.

Sometimes it was terrifying just how perfect everything was, like one wrong move and everything would shatter and come crashing down around him.

Ryuji would never let that happen, though--Akira knew that for sure, even without giving voice to his fears. Ryuji had constantly gone above and beyond in protecting Akira’s happiness this past year, and each and every time had Akira falling head over heels in love with him all over again.

Akira wasn’t even sure when the shift had happened, but before he knew it, Ryuji was the one leading their slow dance, his hold on Akira’s back more confident despite the blush lingering in his cheeks.

“Y’know, I’ve got just as much to thank you for,” Ryuji commented after a moment, breaking the comfortable silence that had settled between the two of them once again. “You changed my whole life around, from the moment I first met you--and yeah, maybe you did it on purpose at first since you knew everything that was gonna happen, but when you broke down and confessed all that crazy shit to me, I felt… _important_ to someone, for the first time in my life. I never had someone rely on me like that before, and… and I never had someone look at me the way you were looking at me before either.” His blush darkened slightly in embarrassment, but he pressed on regardless. “Even now, sometimes I catch you looking at me like-- I dunno, like I’m the whole world or universe or whatever, and sometimes I feel like I don’t deserve it, but it’s still-- it’s _nice_ , being valued so much by someone, y’know? I’ve never been someone’s most important person before, and I kinda figured I never _would_ be either, ‘specially after all that shit with the track team--and I was okay with it, I really was--but then you showed up, and you saved my life, and you let me see sides of you that you didn’t show anyone else, and you _wanted_ me in ways that no one ever did, and I just… I dunno, I’m not even sure what I’m tryin’a say anymore.”

Ryuji laughed sheepishly. “Guess the point of all that rambling was to say that I'm grateful to you too.” His expression softened as he added, “Course, goes without saying that I love you too, which is another thing I'm grateful for: getting to fall in love with you, getting to experience your love for me… I don't think I'd be the kinda person I am now without it.” He smiled at the sight of Akira's flushed cheeks, letting go of Akira's hand briefly to wipe the tears off of his face before grabbing his hand again and giving it a light squeeze. “Prolly a bit cheesy to say, but you changed me for the better, and I can only hope I've done the same for you too.”

“... Now who's the one who needs to save something for the wedding vows?” Akira replied weakly, prompting a laugh from Ryuji that in turn drew laughter out from him as well, the sound light and happy as he rested his head against Ryuji's shoulder.

“We're one hell of a mess, aren't we,” Ryuji joked. “Kissing before I even figured out my feelings, engaged before graduating high school, exchanging vows before our wedding….”

“Moving in together before we get married,” Akira added, laughing as he felt rather than saw Ryuji's blush. “You know I'm not waiting a minute longer than necessary to live with you.”

“Hey, no complaints here,” Ryuji replied with a grin. “I know we've been putting it off for a while ‘cuz of school ‘n’ stuff, but d’you wanna start looking for apartments tomorrow?”

“It's a date.”

Ryuji rolled his eyes in fond amusement, but wasn't given the chance to reply before Akira's lips found their way to his own, and his eyes drifted closed as he pulled Akira closer and kissed him back.

With the soft music as a backdrop filling the silence of the empty room, Ryuji and Akira continued to dance on stage with no space left between them, basking in each other's presence and in the warmth of a promised future together.

* * *

Unfortunately, as much fun as it was to dance the night away without a care in the world, the ball had to come to an end at some point--and while it was a bit disappointing to discover that their competition had ended in a draw, the fact that they’d obtained the Treasure was reward enough.

Even if the “Treasure” was just the satisfaction and enjoyment of dancing, and nothing tangible as Ryuji had still been secretly hoping it would be.

“Normally, you would all lose your memories of this night once you wake up,” Lavenza began, her expression soft as she looked at Akira, “but I believe my Trickster has suffered enough from lost happy memories with his friends--so just this once, I will bend the rules a little bit.”

“So we’ll all keep our memories of this whole night?” Ryuji checked, before grinning and whooping as Lavenza nodded. “That’s awesome! Would’ve sucked to forget all this; it was a blast!”

As everyone chattered amongst themselves about getting to keep the memories of their dreamlike time together, Akira approached Lavenza with a soft smile, meeting her halfway for a hug as he knelt down in front of her.

“Thank you,” he murmured. “If this is the last time I’ll ever get to see you… I’m grateful to have such happy memories to look back on--and I’m even more grateful that you’re allowing my friends to keep their memories as well.”

Lavenza smiled. “Even if we never meet again, just know that I will always be with you. You will always be my Trickster.” She tightened her hug slightly, her voice dropping to a soft whisper. “I will be praying for your happiness for years to come. Thank you for everything.”

“I should be the one telling you that,” Akira replied with a quiet chuckle. “You’ve done so much for me, much more than I can ever properly thank you for… but I will always remember you. Thank you, Lavenza.”

Akira reluctantly pulled back and rose to his feet, pushing up his glasses to quickly rub at his eyes before noticing that Lavenza’s eyes seemed misty as well, though she kept a soft smile on her face as she watched him.

It was then that Akira realized that the conversation behind him had gone quiet, and he glanced behind him in embarrassment to find his friends watching him with sympathetic, understanding expressions, Ryuji moving over to him and giving his shoulder a light squeeze--but thankfully Lavenza saved him from having to say anything as she took a step back and began to speak.

“Remember the strength of your bonds through any trials that life may present you with, and carry the memory of this joyful ball with you in your hearts for the rest of your days.”

As Lavenza spoke, Akira’s vision began to swim as the room turned fuzzy, and he quickly reached his arm back for Ryuji without thinking, their hands bumping against one another before entwining together.

The room began to swim and fade away, his eyes catching sight of Lavenza one last time through the haze as she gave him a smile.

“ _Goodbye, my Trickster._ ”

* * *

Almost in unison, Akira and Ryuji woke up, their eyes opening and their gazes locking as they turned to face each other in bed.

“So, uh… that dream--”

Akira’s expression softened in relief. “It happened, yeah.”

Ryuji let out a quiet sigh before grinning, draping his arms over Akira’s shoulders and pulling him close. “So we really did get to keep our memories. I’m glad.”

Akira shifted closer to Ryuji in turn, pressing a light kiss to his fiance’s lips with a smile as his mind replayed the long, happy night they’d all had together.

“Yeah, me too.”

**Author's Note:**

> One of these days I will learn to write endings that don't feel rushed lol;;
> 
> Of course I had to make sure everyone kept their memories lmao, especially since Makoto and Haru are finally a thing now in this universe! I wasn't going to erase that progress with the whole "it was all just a dream and no one remembers anything" cliche, plus Akira deserves to have some more happy memories to look back on ;u;
> 
> ~~Before P5S happens and everything goes to hell again I mean what~~
> 
> Thanks for reading, and I hope everyone has a wonderful Valentine's Day! <3


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